LocationsGovt, Partners Pledge to Double Efforts to End HIV/AIDS and TB
November 6, 2023
Dr. Apal Toby Maduot, Director of National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Programme speaking during the conference.
As the 2030 deadline to achieve sustainable development goals draws nearer, stakeholders in the implementation of the HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis programme in South Sudan have resolved to intensify efforts to eradicate threats presented by the two diseases in order to save lives and ensure health and wellbeing for all.
Convened by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with UNDP, supported by the Global Fund, the three-day HIV/AIDS and TB Annual Review conference took place between 31 October and 2 November 2023, at Royal Palace Hotel, Juba. It was attended by close to 140 participants from the Ministry of Health, South Sudan Aids Commission, health coordinators from 10 states and two administrative areas, donor organizations, international NGOs, civil society organizations and umbrella organizations for people living with HIV.
The main aim of the conference was to review the HIV/AIDS and TB programme performance for the period October 2022 to September 2023 and develop action plans to improve programme delivery. The conference was also an opportunity to clarify roles, mandate and responsibilities of various stakeholders to improve coordination. The HIV/AIDS and TB programmes seek to reduce infections, morbidities and mortalities and to strengthen health systems to be able to respond to public health threats.
Participants during the HIV/AIDS and TB Annual Review conference
Scaling up HIV and TB services
Key in the deliberations was a suggestion to scale up provision of HIV/AIDS and TB health services to reach more people. UNDP in partnership with the Government through the Ministry of Health, with funding from the Global Fund, ensures access to HIV/AIDS and TB services in over 200 health facilities including hospitals and health facilities across the country. This, however, leaves many health facilities unserved. According to information from the Ministry of Health, there are 1,955 functional health facilities including 20 hospitals in South Sudan.
Calls for increased domestic health financing.
Dr. Acol Korium, Deputy Chairperson, South Sudan AIDS Commission during the HIV/AIDS and TB Annual Review conference
Participants also called for increased Government funding to the health sector. While there has been a slight increase in Government support, the budgetary allocation to the health sector is still below the 15% allocation required by the Abuja Declaration of 2001. For instance, in FY2022/2023, the Government allocated 7% to the health sector compared to 9% in FY2021/2022 and 2% in FY2020/2021, covering mainly salaries, operations and infrastructure.
To combat stigma and discrimination, participants called for intensified awareness on HIV/AIDS and TB prevention measures and deliberate efforts to engage and empower communities and people affected and living with HIV and TB to play a leading role in the response.
The HIV/AIDS and TB conference had very animated and participatory discussions
Solarizing health facilities
Participants also decried the low electricity coverage in the country saying that it affects service delivery, including the proper functioning of health facilities, laboratory services and equipment such as GeneXpert machines. Others are storage of drugs and other medical supplies especially given the country’s high temperatures.
South Sudan is one of the world’s least electrified countries in the world, with an acute shortage of power supply.
As a result, some hospitals and health facilities resort to fuel-run generators that often run for 12 or fewer hours a day due to high maintenance costs, which affects those who seek health services outside of normal working hours. This is worse for people whose conditions need urgent medical procedures. As a remedy, UNDP, with funding from Global Fund, is installing solar power in 28 health facilities including hospitals across the country, to ensure continuous supply of electricity and functioning of health facilities.
Solar installation at the National Public Health Laboratory, Juba
The conference also discussed measures to improve coordination, data processing, reporting and data use, integration and monitoring.
The 2023 Annual HIV/AIDS and TB review conference ended on a climax with participants promising to intensify efforts in prevention, care and treatment to end the two diseases by 2030 – which is the timeline to achieve all the 17 sustainable development goals.